Work Support at Local Vocational Centers for

Persons with Disabilities

The 18th ASEAN & Japan High Level Officials Meeting on Caring SocietiesPanel Discussion “Support for Work and Social Life for People

with Developmental Disabilities”

Japan Organization for Employment of the Elderly, Persons with Disabilities and Job Seekers

National Institute of Vocational Rehabilitation

Japan Organization for Employment of the Elderly, Persons with Disabilities and Job

Seekers

National Institute of Vocational Rehabilitation

Shuichi Iguchi

Senior Researcher

Content of Presentation

1

1. Overview of Work Support for

Persons with Developmental Disorders

2. Work Support at Local Vocational Centers

for Persons with Disabilities

Process of Work Support

Pre-employment support

Employment support

Post-employment support Support for employers

Vocational counseling

Vocational assessments

Vocational readiness supportWork transition support

Vocational trainingPlanning

Job search supportJob offering development

Employment referrals

Workplace accommodations (support from job coaches)Workplace and job retention

Advice and assistance for employers

2

Types of Work Support & Main Supporting Organizations

3

Types of work support Main supporting organizations

Vocational counseling

Public employment security offices

Local Vocational Centers for Persons with Disabilities

Employment and Life Support Centers for Persons with

Disabilities

Vocational assessments Local Vocational Centers for Persons with Disabilities

Vocational readiness support Local Vocational Centers for Persons with Disabilities

Work transition support Work transition support providers

Vocational training Polytechnic schools (for persons with disabilities)

Outsourced vocational training institutions (companies, etc.)

Employment referrals Public employment security offices

Workplace accommodations with support

from job coaches

Local Vocational Centers for Persons with Disabilities

Institutions providing job coaching support (social welfare

corporations, etc.)

Workplace retention support

Job retention support

Support for employers

Public employment security offices

Local Vocational Centers for Persons with Disabilities

Employment and Life Support Centers for Persons with

Disabilities

Job retention support offices

Local Work Support Networks

Public employment

security offices

Local VocationalCenters for

Personswith

Disabilities

Work transitionsupport providers

Institutions providing job

coaching support

Medicalinstitutions

Local governments/

Welfare organizations

Educational institutes/

Polytechnic schools

Employment &Life SupportCenters for

Personswith Disabilities

4

Job Seekers with Developmental Disorders(by diagnosis)

68.6%

26.7%

1.6%

1.9%

8.6%

0% 25% 50% 75% 100%

ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder)

ADHD (Attention-

Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder)

SLD (Specific Learning Disorder)

Other developmental disorders

Unknown

[There is overlapping among disorders.]

Persons diagnosed with ASD (Autism Spectrum

Disorder) account for 68.6% of all job seekers

[Source] National Institute of Vocational Rehabilitation (NIVR)

“Research and Survey on the Actual Situation, etc. of Job Seekers with Disabilities” (2020) 5

Support According to the Attributes of Developmental Disorders

Since the attributes of developmental disorders can be difficult to understand, persons with developmental disorders are more likely to have difficulty finding employment and adapting to workplaces if these attributes are not well understood and the necessary reasonable accommodations are not made.

6

In particular, persons with ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder) often have difficulty in adapting to their workplaces because of imbalances in abilities, weak social and communication skills, inappropriate job matches, and a lack of consideration from their supervisors and colleagues.

Many people with developmental disorders require specialized work support that takes full account of the attributes of disabilities.

Introduce work support at Local Vocational Centers for Persons with Disabilities

Local Vocational Centers for Persons with Disabilities

Local Vocational Centers for Persons with Disabilities are

vocational rehabilitation institutions for persons with

disabilities established and operated by the national

government (independent administrative agency) in each of

the 47 prefectures of Japan, where vocational counselors and

job coaches for persons with disabilities are assigned.

The centers provide vocational counseling for

persons with disabilities, vocational

assessments, vocational readiness support,

support from job coaches for workplace

accommodations, and

consultation services

and assistance to

employers.

7

Use of Centers by Persons with Disabilities (by disability)

0

5,000

10,000

15,000

20,000

25,000

30,000

35,000

FY2010 FY2011 FY2012 FY2013 FY2014 FY2015 FY2016 FY2017 FY2018 FY2019

Annual number of users (persons) of Local Vocational Centers for Persons with Disabilities

Other disabilities

Persons with

developmental

disorders

Persons with

mental disorders

Persons with

intellectual

disabilities

Persons with

physical

disabilities

The number of users with developmental disorders has increased year after year, accounting for 27.4% of all users in FY2019.

8

Vocational Counseling & Assessments

Vocational counseling must be done in ways that take weaker communication skills into account.

Use consultation sheets and checklists for persons with developmental disorders

Vocational assessments must use evaluation methods that take disability attributes into account, such as imbalances in abilities and soft skills (vocational life skills).

Emphasis on assessments through real and simulated workplace experiences

Specific consultations on required support and reasonable accommodations based on the outcomes of vocational counseling and assessments

Promote self-understanding for persons with developmental disorders

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Work experience Work experience in simulated workplace

Work experience in actual workplace

Lecture & skills

trainings

Business etiquette lectures

Assertiveness lectures

Navigation book preparation

Job-related Skills Training (JST)

Problem-solving Skills Training

Manual Development Skills Training

Relaxation Skills Training

Individual

consultations

Awareness of current situation (problems)

and goal setting

Reflecting on experiences

Individual consultations (coping strategies

for workplace)

Career counseling

Vocational Readiness Support for Persons with Developmental Disorders

10

Methods to Support Vocational Readiness

Lectures & skills

trainings

(Learning)

Work experience

(Experience)

Individual consultations(Counseling)

Cycle of

learning,

experience,

and

counseling to

promote self-

understanding

and prepare

specific coping

strategies for

the workplace

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・ Support to perform duties

・ Support for communication in the

workplace

・ Support for health management and

daily life rhythm, etc.

EmployersPersons with

disabilities

Workplace support Follow-up

Job

coach

Support coordinated by vocational counselors for persons with disabilities

・ Advice on reasonable

accommodations in the workplace

・ Advice on setting job descriptions

・ Advice on teaching methods, etc.

Standard: 3 months

Workplace Accommodations with Support from Job Coaches

12

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Structuralize procedures

Structuralize space

Job redesign

Prepare manuals

Unable to do job as instructed

Unable to use manuals

Too many mistakes

Unable to manage schedules

Unable to carry out multiple tasks at

the same time

Unable to prioritize tasks

Obsessive behavior

Easily distracted

Unable to accommodate changes in

plans

Hyper-sensibility

Unable to spend break times well

Inappropriate grooming and

appearance

Behavioral problems

Hyper-sensibility considerations

Coping strategies for fatigue

Ways to spend break times

Advice on coping strategies

Structuralize the scene

Examples of Support for Workplace Accommodations for Persons with Developmental Disorders

13

Work

performance

Adaptive

actions

Unable to follow workplace rules

Often late

Inappropriate interpersonal

interactions

Unable to understand unspoken rules

Explanations of rules

Explanations of interpersonal

etiquette

Explanations of workplace

practices

Explanations of appropriate

behaviors

Cognitive support

(Clear explanations)

Rules &

etiquette

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